Veterans' stigma of mental illness
By Linda Rosenberg
Article Launched: 11/09/2008 10:17:16 PM PST
WHEN Chris Hill was honorably discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps in 1982, he made sure to remove the medical records in his permanent file about his visits to a psychiatrist. Hill, who was experiencing severe anxiety attacks, was afraid to be labeled as a veteran with psychiatric problems.
"I was embarrassed about it at the time," says Hill, who now works as a mental health counselor for the Jefferson Center for Mental Health in Jefferson County, CO. "There was a stigma in my own mind about it being bad to get psychiatric help. As a Marine, I didn't want to appear weak."
Research shows that Hill's trepidation about receiving psychiatric care is not unique among members of the Armed Forces. A 2004 study of 6,000 military men and women involved in ground combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan found that of those whose responses indicated a mental health problem, only 23 to 40 percent sought psychiatric help. Many who did not seek treatment cited fear of being stigmatized as a reason.
After leaving the Marines, Hill struggled with alcohol, attempted suicide and says he "lost every material thing I ever owned." Hitting bottom taught him he had to deal with his alcoholism and depression, and he finally began psychiatric counseling.
For the thousands of veterans like Chris Hill who return home with physical and mental scars, their wounds can present particular challenges for years to come. The wars overseas rarely make front page news
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these days, but the wars still loom large for families left behind during tours of duty and dealing with the war's aftermath in the form of veterans returning with posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and substance abuse.
Nearly 300,000 veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from either posttraumatic stress or depression, according to a recent study by the RAND Corporation. The Department of Veterans Affairs says mental health is the second largest area of illness for veterans of these wars.
Some of these troubled veterans seek help from a network of community mental health centers nationwide. These centers' deep roots in the community make them well suited to counsel veterans by engaging churches, synagogues, schools and other community stalwarts to become involved in a holistic approach that treats the veteran's entire family.
Soon more veterans may be able to receive counseling from community-based organizations. On Oct. 10, President Bush signed "The Veterans Mental Health and Other Care Improvements Act of 2008" into law. The new law directs the Veterans Administration (VA) to contract with community-based healthcare organization to provide mental health services in rural areas in which access to VA services is inadequate.
But we should not expect mental health professionals to go it alone.
Everyone has a role to play to help veterans overcome the stigma of mental illness. A few easy ways to help veterans overcome the stigma of mental illness include:
Talk about your family's experiences with mental illnesses and addictions as you would about other medical conditions. Mental illnesses and addictions need to come fully out of the closet.
Decide to become literate about mental illnesses and addictions. Read and ask questions about these conditions and look for courses on mental health literacy in your community.
Support veterans groups and your local mental health center's efforts to make mental health and addictions treatment available in every community.
On this Veterans Day, whether we are a veteran, family member, friend, co-worker or simply a concerned citizen, we all need to make sure we continue to fight the stigma attached to seeking mental health treatment.
We need to do go the extra yard to ensure that veterans who may be suffering from mental illnesses receive the help they need.
Linda Rosenberg is president and CEO, National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Veterans' stigma of mental illness
